Astros pitch one-year deal to Clemens With audio

Astros offer Clemens 1-year deal, but will he play?

Published 6:30 am, Friday, January 9, 2004

Only future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens and, perhaps, his family know whether he will put retirement on hold for a year to pitch for his hometown.

But Astros owner Drayton McLane already has given the hard-throwing righthander the parameters of a one-year contract offer, the Chronicle has learned.

"Drayton has made it clear he wants to sign Roger, and we have discussed financial parameters," Clemens' co-agent Randy Hendricks said. "The issue is not whether Drayton will make an offer. Rather, it is whether Roger will play."

Clemens also would be a major drawing card, which is why McLane doesn't mind raising the payroll despite losing $15 million last year.

The Astros received a major boost in ticket sales after signing Pettitte away from the Yankees on Dec. 11, prompting vice president of ticket sales John Sorrentino to hire two more employees to cope with the demand.

As one president of a National League club predicted at the winter meetings last month, the Astros can expect mostly sellouts if Clemens joins the franchise.

Clemens was 17-9 with a 3.91 ERA while throwing 211 2/3 innings in 33 starts last season. Pettitte's signing with the Astros has tempted Clemens to join his former Yankee teammate in Houston.

Clemens is represented by Randy and Alan Hendricks, who have had multiple discussions with McLane over the last few weeks about the possibility of Clemens pitching in Houston. Clemens has even acknowledged hosting McLane at his home.

That meeting, according to a person with knowledge of the talks, took place Dec. 23.

Clemens, the Hendricks brothers and McLane were traveling back to Houston on Thursday. Clemens, Pettitte and Randy and Jill Hendricks were flying back from Hawaii, where Clemens and Pettitte played in the Mercedes Championships pro-am.

McLane was returning from a trip to Portugal and unavailable for comment.